Another important set of skills for a student of history is Sourcing which refers to the Historical Context, Bias, Point-of-view/Perspective, Audience, and Purpose/Significance which determines the reliability of documents (texts, maps, charts, political cartoons, portraits, photos, etc).
In order to be successful in working with documents, students must not just read documents in order to make claims about historical phenomena, they must also analyze them for Historical Context, Audience, Purpose, Point of View, and the Purpose/Significance (Why is this source important?). For every document analyzed, you must perform a HAPPY analysis. Being able to identify each of the HAPPY components will prepare students to gather information during this process which is crucial for historical comprehension, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Use the table below to assist you in the Historical Analysis.
Acronynm Letter
Description/Questions to Ask
Historical Context
What are the immediate historical events that shaped/triggered this document?
What is the environment of ideas, attitudes, + emotions behind the creation of the document?
Audience
For whom (specifically, generally, logically) was the document intended?
What details in the document help you attribute the audience?
Point of View
Who (specifically, generally, logically) wrote/produced the doc?
Is there a reference to the author’s POV (i.e. his/her professional, gender, social background) in the document representation? If not, can you infer it?
What details in the document reflect the author’s Perspective and/or Bias?
Purpose
Why was the document created?
What elements in the document help you to determine its purpose?
How does the author’s point of view shape the document’s purpose AND/OR
How does the format of the document shape its purpose? (e.g. Is a visual/photo more emotional than an essay?)
‘Y’ is The Document Significant?
How does the document impact/shape/reflect popular arguments on the subject?
How does the document reflect an idea, influence, or importance that has ‘continuity (remains the same) or changes over time’?
What are the limitations of the document? (Is the document reliable?)
